You Should Be Here
by nashaeexo
Summary: AU I suck at these but Mercedes and Puck are married with three children. I don't usually stick to the same guidelines provided in glee so don't expect me to start now. Beth is in this and is Puck and Quinn's only child together.
1. Chapter 1

If you told her that she would one day marry William McKinley High School's badass she'd think you were insane. There was no way she could see herself married to the same boy who impregnated her soul sister. Even though they dated for a week in high school, they were never into each other that way. They used each other to get what they wanted back then: him to regain his popularity and her just to feel what it was like to actually have someone to do some of the little things even if it was by force. No, if you told her back then that one day she would be _his_ and he _hers_ , she'd think you were bat shit crazy. But here she was seven years after graduating high school, definitely living her dream of being a singer, a family of her own, married to none other than Noah Josiah Puckerman. And she seemed happy.

For a long time before she and Noah got together, happy wouldn't be word she would use to describe how she felt and well after, the word happy couldn't begin to express her feelings. In more ways than one, Puck completed her. He believed in her, in all that she could be when she didn't believe in herself and loved her unconditionally. The love that the two of them share resulted in two beautiful baby girls. 4 year old Melanie and 2 year old Nolani Puckerman were the perfect mix of both Mercedes and Noah. With Puck's oldest daughter, 10 year old Beth, looking almost exactly like her mother Quinn, aside from her totally bad-ass attitude and a few features, he was glad that some of his genes were more prominent in his other children.

Grateful to have both his mother and his Bubbie Ruth around and very much present in his life, Puck was granted full custody of Beth and successfully remained an active father in her life, as well as Lanie's and Nola's, unlike his own father. The transition from being a single dad to a married man with two and then three kids was a tough one. It helped a lot that Beth wasn't exactly a toddler when Mercedes was Melanie was born. It was in some ways less hectic. A lot of Beth's time was consumed with school, but they had felt the toll more so when Nolani was born, not that she was a burden. Just having a kindergartner, a toddler and a baby; and each child being unique took a lot more work than they had expected. Still they worked things out and got through it together.

Unfortunately, nothing prepared them for their upcoming battles. It wasn't written in any of the books Noah read and no one that they could remember dared to warn them about the strain that could be put upon their marriage while raising three kids, building a brand and managing their careers. When it did hit them, it came out of nowhere and it hit them hard.

The day started out as any other day for the Puckerman Pack. The loud sound of children running around, arguing and screaming, and a TV filled her ears as she woke up from her slumber. She reached over to grab a hold of her husband only to be met with cold sheets. Mercedes groaned and looked at the clock. _Why must they be awake so early?_ She groaned noticing it wasn't even 8 am yet. Peeling the cover from her body and setting her feet on the cool wooden floors she felt around for her purple mesh slippers and put them on. One of her husband's jerseys covered her naked body. She shook her head and immediately started picking up numerous dolls, cars, toys, clothes; you name it that had been left around the house.

"It's like I have four children instead of three" she murmured and made her way down stairs as the smell of breakfast filled the air.

On the way to the kitchen she passed by her three girls who were seemingly up to no good. She kissed Beth and Melanie on the top of the head and picked Nolani up who stood on the couch with open arms.

"Did you girls eat yet?" Mercedes asked as she rested upon the back of the couch with Nola's tiny arms linked around her neck.

"No momma." Beth replied brushing her dolls hair while Melanie shook her head.

"Well how about we go see what's taking daddy so long then. Come on." Beth tossed her doll on the couch and the girls followed Mercedes into the kitchen, brushing past her and sitting at the table once they saw their father fixing plates. Mercedes walked over to her husband who dropped a kiss on her lips and then her forehead. She smiled and claimed her seat at one end of the table with Nola in her lap and Puck claimed the other. The five of them sat at the table eating, mostly quiet, and indulging in light conversation.

"Hey Momma, can we all go out get frozen yogurt when I get back from my Mommy's?" Beth asked stuffing her face with pancakes, eggs and bacon.

"Sure sweetie, I don't see why not. That is, unless your father is too busy." She sighed a bit and looked up at him.

Noah shot a glare at his wife across the table and then turned to his daughter. "I don't know baby girl. Daddy has work to do." he pitched in before Beth could fix her lips to ask.

"Oh please daddy, please. It's not like you have to go practice or anything. Football season is over." She pouted, the same pout Quinn would do when she didn't want to be told no.

"I don't know princess." Puck sighed and stabbed his pancake with his fork. "I'll see."

"How about just you and I, Quinn, Lani and Nola go get fro-yo? We can make it a girl's thing since your father won't be able to go." Mercedes suggested, avoiding Puck's glare.

"Okay Momma, I'll go call my mommy right now." She said excitedly as she finished the food on her plate and tossed it in the sink running upstairs.

"No running in the house B!" Mercedes called out as she fed Nola who refused to eat from her own plate most mornings and this morning was no exception.

"Mercy, what was that about?" Puck's voice rang throughout.

"What was what about?" she asked pretending to be clueless and set Nola on her feet. " I have no idea what you're talking about."

"So you're gonna play dumb with?"

"Bee, they're fighting again!" Melanie called out as she climbed down from her chair and ran to find her older sister before anyone could object.

Mercedes placed a strip of turkey bacon in each of Nola's hands before she scampered off to find the others leaving Mercedes to scrape off the remaining plates. "Was she right? Are we fighting again?" Mercedes asked as she washed the dishes in the sink.

"Why do you make it sound like that's all we do?" he rolled his eyes and tossed his plate in the sink.

"Because that's all we do lately."

"Well it's your fault!"

"My fault?"

"Yeah!" he stated matter of factly.

"And how is it my fault?"

"Because you always make me seem like I'm the bad guy; like I never spend time with my kids."

"Noah, you're never around anymore. I get it, I know you say you're working and trying to do a lot, build this empire, for us and stuff. But it isn't for us. At least that's not what it feels like. It feels like you're doing it for yourself. You're always busy, too busy to spend time with us. You can't go to the movies with us cause you're busy cleaning out the garage. Or you can't go to the park because you're too busy remodeling the rooms. You can't do anything or go anywhere with us because you're always too busy doing something else."

"That's not true. I can't believe you're saying that Mercy." He huffed becoming agitated.

"Can't believe I'm saying this? It's not like I'm lying. You want to be doing all this extra stuff but none of it matters. I couldn't care less if we didn't have any of it."

"And that's your problem right there." He screamed pointing his finger at her. "You don't care. You grew up with both your parents and you lived a great life. I didn't. Nic and I didn't get that luxury. And I don't want my kids to ever go through what I went through, ever!" he slammed his hand down on the table and walked out of the kitchen.

"They would never have to experience that. You know why, because I'm right here okay. Your children are here, your wife is here. Your family is right here, but you would rather be all every fucking where other than where we are. And when you are here physically, your mind is somewhere else."

 _I'm looking right at you, but you're not there_

 _I'm seeing right pass you, but you seem well aware_

 _You body is here but your mind is somewhere else_

 _So far gone and you think I can't tell_

 _Can't tell that you are disconnected_

 _You pulled away and I miss your presence_

 _I always said to you_

 _Baby you should be here, right here_

 _Baby you should be here, right here_

 _Don't know where you went but you're lost now_

 _Don't know where you went but you're gone now_

 _Don't know where you went but you're lost now_

 _Don't know where you went but you're gone now_

"That's nonsense Mercedes. I haven't checked out on my family."

"Noah yes you have and I can't do this by myself okay. I can't feel like I'm in this marriage by myself. We have three beautiful girls together, not me, _we._ I can't play mommy and daddy, not when there are things that they don't want to talk to me about or things that they only want daddy to help them with. It's not fair to me or them."

"First of all, we don't have three kids together okay, Beth isn't your daughter. You and I," he pointed back and forth between the two of them, "we only have two kids together. Secondly, I'm not asking you to do anything okay. I'm not asking you to play my role or do my part."

"I can't believe you just said what you said, to me of all people." She took a deep breath and stepped away from him tears welling in her eyes. "Yeah, I may not have carried her for 9 months or been in labor for 13 hours but from the second Quinn asked me to come in the delivery room with you and to be her godmother she was mine. I love her like I carried her myself, so don't you dare say or act like she isn't my daughter."

"Well, don't try to discredit me and say that I don't work hard or provide for my family." He was angry, but more than anything he was hurt and he wanted to make sure she felt the same way too.

"What the hell are you talking about? I never said you don't provide for us. When it comes to taking care of the girls financially you are wonderful. But you aren't my business partner and I don't need your money. You're my damn husband and I need your heart and your time, not what's in your fucking wallet. Or did you forget, I make my own money."

"How could I ever forget? You make it clear each and everyday?" he threw his hands in the air and stormed away.

"You act like I'm asking so much of you. All I'm asking you to do is spend a little more time with me and the girls. Just a little bit. But it's obvious that it's something you can't do. So don't worry about it." She blinked away her tears and stormed past him up the stairs where the girls sat at the top eavesdropping. "Come on Bee, get dressed. I'll drop you off at your mother's."

Grabbing Nola's hand she led the girls into their room and after giving Lani & Nola a quick bath, allowing Beth to shower herself, she got the younger girls dressed and helped Beth pick out a pretty outfit to wear. She almost didn't bother getting in the shower but was unsure of when and more scarily, if she would return home so she took one too. With everyone dressed she headed downstairs with the girls right behind her. They all picked up their favorite toy and carried it out to the car but not before saying goodbye to their father.

Puck followed them out to the car and watched as Mercedes strapped Nolani in who sat between her older sisters and doubled checked Melanie's seat belt.

"Where are y'all going?" he asked leaning on the car door, prohibiting Mercedes from getting in.

"I'm taking your daughter to her mother and then I'm going somewhere and taking the girls with me." She rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest.

"Okay and where are you and my other daughters going?" he looked at her and opened her car door, but didn't allow her to close it.

"Out okay, I can't do this with you, not right now. So can we go? Beth is gonna be late."

"No you can't. Beth can be late. Where the hell do you think you're going?"

"Away! I'm going away from you for a while. Maybe a couple of hours, maybe a couple of days, I don't know yet. What I do know is that this," she pointed up and down at him "this isn't the man I married. This isn't the man that I vowed to spend my life with so I'm leaving. If you happen to find him tell him to give me a call." She pushed his foot out of the way and slammed the car door shut, locking it. "I'll see you later I guess." She sighed and pulled off as a tear fell from her eye.

 ** _SONG: KEHLANI – YOU SHOULD BE HERE_**


	2. Chapter 2

_**I'm sorry for the way and I'm sorry in advanced for the shittyness that is this chapter. I had major writer's block and then I got super being with classes and stuff being that I am in my second semester of junior year. I hope to edit this later on in the near future, but this was just something to post for the time being. Still I would love your feedback. Hope you enjoy it.**_

Five minutes from leaving the house Mercedes had to pull over. The tears that once threatened to fall had been clouding her eyes and falling uncontrollably. She took a few deep breaths and grabbed a napkin from over head to wipe her eyes. Looking into the rear view mirror, three sets of eyes were looking back at her.

"Momma, you okay?" Beth asked really concerned about her father and stepmother's relationship.

"Yeah Bee, I'm fine." She tried to reassure her.

"Mommy, why you crying, mommy?" Nolani perched up and tried to reach for her but Melanie set her back.

"Mommy's sad Nola" Melanie sighed.

"Yea, mommy's a little sad right now, but you know what makes me feel better?" Mercedes sniffled and wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands.

"Candy! I like candy mommy."

"I like candy too Nola, but it's you three. You girls always make me feel better okay. So don't worry, I'm fine."

"You promise?" Beth asked with her pinky raised.

"I promise". Mercedes linked their fingers and allowed Melanie and Nolani to get on it. "Now let's go before we're late. You and your mom have a bunch of fun stuff to do."

Fastening her seat belt again, she pulled off once more and continued in the direction of Quinn's house. The drive wasn't long today thanks to the fact that there was no traffic. They might've spent 15 or 20 minutes driving before they pulled up in front of the house. Quinn had just opened the front door and began walking towards the car as Mercedes and Beth got out.

"I'll see you later tonight right, momma?" Beth asked as she gave Mercedes a hug.

"I don't know Bee!" Mercedes spoke softly as she squatted to be eye level with Beth.

"Well why not?"

"I don't know if it's best for me go back home tonight, I'm sorry."

"I can't believe you're giving me an ultimatum."

"Eww, I don't eat tomatoes."

"Not a tomato, an ultimatum."

"What's that?"

"It's complicated; it just means you're giving me a really tough choice."

"Well, then I'm giving you all the tomatoes every, just promise me you'll be at the house when I get back momma. Promise!"

"Beth," she sighed.

"No, promise! Promise me!" she whined stopping her feet and crossing her arms. "You have to promise."

"Mommy, make her promise. I won't go until she promises. You have to make her promise mommy, you just have to."

"Make her promise what?" Quinn asked confused as she walked over to her daughter and Mercedes. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing, can we go now!" Beth stormed off and Mercedes hung her head and sighed.

"Somehow this is my fault, so let me go talk to her. Can you keep your eye on Lanie and Nola?"

Quinn nodded and Mercedes followed after Beth to Quinn's car. She picked the sad 10 year old up in her arms and gave her a big hug, setting her down on her feet and getting down to her eye level.

"Beth I'm sorry, okay sweetie. And I may not be able to promise you that I'll be back by the time you get back home," Beth pouted but Mercedes continued, "but what I can promise you is that I'll be home when you wake up in the morning and open those pretty little eyes of yours okay."

"You promise?"

"Cross my heart princess!" she marked an 'x' over her chest and Beth leaped into her arms. "I'll see you later okay?"

"Okay." Her voice was soft. "Later momma." She gave Mercedes a kiss on the cheek and then proceeded to get into Quinn's car.

Mercedes shook her head and walked back towards her car. "Thanks Q!"

"No problem. Bye girls!" she waved to them.

"Later Auntie Quinn!" Melanie and Nolani replied in unison.

"Everything okay?" Quinn asked tucking her throw sweater into itself.

"Yeah" Mercedes sighed and ran her hand through her hair. "Just going through some things with Mr. Puckerman." She sucked her teeth and shook her hand.

"You know I'm ere for you if you wanna talk right?" Quinn placed a reassuring hand on Mercedes' shoulder.

"Yeah I know, thanks Q. But I don't really want to talk about it right now. Besides I can't keep you and Beth held up any longer." He chuckled lightly and Quinn smiled.

"Yeah, if we don't make it back in time for Sam to watch this movie I think he's gonna blow a gasket." She laughed and then two said goodbye leaving Beth, Quinn and Sam to their shopping day and Mercedes, Melanie and Nolani to find something to get into.

Mercedes climbed back into the car and used the car speakers to call Santana. The phone rang out a few times before she answered the phone.

"Tana, I just dropped Beth off at Quinn's, the girls and I will be there in 10 minutes tops."

"And what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I'll tell you when I get there. Is Finn there?"

"No he's not. He's at the Hudson/Hummel home. Is it about Puckerman?"

"Maybe." He voice hitched a pitched. "Okay yes."

"Well Anna's here so she and the girls can play upstairs while we have our girl chat."

"You're the best. I'll see you soon, oh and Tana, bring out the wine glasses."

"I know I am. And I'm already ahead of you." Santana shook her head slightly, careful not to drop it from its current location between her face and shoulder. She hung up the phone and set it down on the counter as she pulled out the glasses, a bottle of wine and prepared to make snacks for the girls to hold them off until they figured out what they would eat for lunch.

"Anna, your Auntie Mercy is coming and she's bringing Lani and Nola." She screamed at the bottom of the steps that led upstairs and was soon greeted by her 3 year old, Annabelle.

Soon enough the doorbell rang and Santana set the bottle and glasses on the coffee table before she opened it. She quickly embraced to two toddlers that clung to her legs and Mercedes scooped up Anna who demanded she be picked up.

Santana looked at her best friend and could see the hurt and pain visible on her face. "Hey girls, why don't you go upstairs and play in Anna's room while me and Mercy talk, okay?" she asked not really giving them another choice. "There are snacks in the kitchen if you want. You girls can take it upstairs." The girls followed Anna upstairs and Santana took a seat on the couch, patting the spot right next to her.

"Ven aquí Mercy, talk to me." She sat with her legs folded beneath her. "What's wrong? And don't say it's nothing."

"It's noting really. I'll tell you later. Can we just not talk about it right now? I don't want to talk about me and my problems. How are you and Finn doing?"

"Fine, we can talk about something else for now. But you know you're gonna have to tell me later, right?" Mercedes nodded and for a little while Santana let the topic of Puck go to the back burner. They talked about getting the girls enrolled into school soon and their upcoming work arrangements: Mercedes' new album and the never ending search for what Santana wanted to do as a career. She'd gone from wanting to be a singer, to an actress, to a chef. Anything that kept her interested she was willing to try until she got bored. Right now she was a stay at home mom in the process of writing a book. Mercedes was extremely proud of her best friend. She deserved all the blessings she already received and so much more.

Time seemed to fly by. One hour turned into two, two into four and before you know it, it was dark. Mercedes and the girls had spent all day with Santana and Ana, only moving from the couch to the kitchen only to feed the girls pizza before returning back to their spots on the couch. Every once in a while Mercedes would check her watch for the time since she turned her phone off a little after Noah's first text came in and a confused Latina didn't know why.

"In a rush are we?" she asked curiously finishing off her second or third glass of wine.

"No, but I did promise a very upset ten year old that'd I'd be home before she woke up and if I'm drunk I can't drive back home now can I?" Mercedes asked, her words slightly slurred as she downed her fourth glass.

"Well speaking of Beth…." Santana started and Mercedes sighed knowing exactly where the conversation was now headed.

"Puck and I got into a fight." Mercedes answered cutting right to the chase.

"Again?" Santana sighed and Mercedes simply nodded her head.

"I don't know what to do anymore. It doesn't feel like he's here or wants to be here and I can't force him."

"I get what you're saying but you have to talk to him. You two need to work it out, you have three kids and no I'm not saying that you need to fix things because of the kids, fix it for yourselves." She looked at Mercedes who had been shaking her head no. "What?"

"We don't have three kids together."

"You know your friends don't count right?"

"Yup." She nodded long and slow, releasing the 'p' with an audible pop.

"Mercedes are you pregnant?"

"Nope."

"Then what are you talking about?"

"I only gave birth to two kids, Melanie and Nolani. Beth isn't my child…according to Puck anyways." she mumbled.

"He said that to you?" Santana asked in disbelief. "I'm sorry Merc, I taught him better than that."

"First of all, you are not is mother and secondly, he's a grown ass man. What the hell are you apologizing for?"

"I think I might've been the one to show him how to hit below the belt." Santana whispered taking a sip from her drink.

"Trust me; it's not your fault. We haven't really been seeing eye-to-eye lately and honestly I'm tired. I can't do this, whatever it is that we're doing much longer. I wake up and I want to choke him or drop him on his head and hope he comes back to is senses." Mercedes quickly wiped at her eye.

"I'm-"

"Don't worry about it Tana. I'm fine. Let me just go home, it's getting late anyways." She stood up and called Melanie and Nolani downstairs and began getting them dressed.

"Well let me take you home. You're way too drunk to drive. I'll drive your car and then Anna and I will take a cab back since I have no clue when Finn will be home." Mercedes agreed and the five of them got dressed then piled into Mercedes' car.

On the way there Mercedes called Santana a cab so that they wouldn't have to wait long which Santana was grateful for. Annabelle ad fallen asleep as did Melanie and Nolani on the drive to Mercedes'. Santana, to the best of her ability helped get the girls into Mercedes' arms before getting into the cab and heading home. Mercedes kissed her on the cheek and walked to the front door. She took a deep breath before opening it and carrying the girls upstairs. She was sure she would have to deal with Noah as soon as she got in the house but made it to the room unbothered and counted it as one of her blessings. One her way out of the door after stripping Lani and Nola and putting their pajamas, Beth woke up.

"Momma?" she whispered rubbing her eyes. "You came back?"

"I told you I was! You know I keep my promises." She smiled and went kissed her forehead.

"Yeah, hey momma can you lay with me for a little bit, light until I fall asleep?" she pouted and Mercedes obliged kicking off her shoes and slipping into Beth's bed. Beth laid her head on Mercedes' chest and threw her arm around her neck the way she did when she was younger. Mercedes smiled at the memory and stroked the blonde's hair. She sung a soft tune, one of Beth's favorites that were sure to help her drift off into slumber. And it didn't take too long. Maybe twenty minutes of Mercedes singing songs and Beth was out like a light again. She kissed her forehead again and tucked her in. Grabbing her shoes, she slipped out of the room and let the door slightly cracked.

 _Beth needs a new bed and soon._ She thought out loud and dropped her shoes in her closet. She looked around the room briefly and Puck seemed to be asleep. She stripped out of her clothes and took a nice hot shower in hopes to release some stress before going to bed. With her eyes clothes and her back to the shower head, she emptied some of her favorite body wash; the one currently in their bathroom was strawberry and began lathering up her body. Still angry, no, angry was not the word. Pissed maybe, livid probably, but angry? She was far pass angry still when she climbed out of the shower and still she pulled one of his sweatshirts that was far too big for her over her head and slipped into a pair of boy shorts. He hadn't moved an inch since she walked in the room, not that she was really trying to be noticed. She couldn't just wake him up to make him go on the couch or in the guest room, not when she was the one who left so instead of moving him over she went into the guest room. Much to her dismay the guest room down the hall was occupied as well. Confused, she moved closer to get a peak at who it was to find Bubbie Ruth asleep as well. Mercedes tiptoed out of the room and was almost at the door when she heard Bubbie call her name.

"Mercy is that you?"

"Yeah Bubbie, I, uh, I just came in here to check on you. You can go back to sleep now."

"Uh huh, sure you did." She sat up and cut on the lamp that sat on the night stand. "Come take a seat right here next to me sexy." It was no question on where Nosh Puckerman got his charm or his mouth from.

Mercedes sighed lightly and sat on the edge of the bed. "What's wrong Bubbie?"

"You tell me.

"I don't know what you mean."

"My grandson called. He said that you two got in a fight and you left with the girls. Now that was before he admitted to me that he might've been being a jerk. Those re his words, not mine." She quickly added as she noticed Mercedes about to interject. "But after you didn't answer any of his calls or return mine, I told him I'd come flight out here, so here I am."

"Well he's right I guess. We did get into a fight. He wasn't being a jerk though, he was being an asshole so I left and I took the girls with me. I was already dropping Beth off with Quinn so I took them to ride with me. I didn't feel like being bothered so I went to Santana's and I turned my phone off. I did tell Beth I was coming back so I'm here."

Bubbie Ruth nodded. She was already aware of how her grandson would take things too far and over react when things didn't go his way. He was definitely a drama king. "Well what did he say? He had to say something that pissed you off. I already know you guys have been fighting a lot lately, but I'm guessing it was pretty bad today. So what was it?"

"He said Beth wasn't mine. And I know that, biologically she isn't, but it's the way he said it. I mean she couldn't be any more my child if it was my blood was running through her veins." she sniffled and blinked back any tears that threatened to fall. "It upset me and so I left before things got worse."

"He's an idiot!" Bubbie snarled and open her arms pulling Mercedes into a hug. "His mother and I raised him better than that."

"I'll be okay Bubbie, I'm used to people saying cruel things. It's just…"

"It's different when it's someone you love who loves you back. They have this thing right, its called power. They just know the right words to make you feel all good inside but they also know how to hit below the belt and make you feel like complete shit." she rubbed circles into Mercedes' back soothing her.

"Bubbala, I don't want you to think that you can't talk to me when it comes to Noah. I'm not here to choose sides or make you work things out with him if that's not what you want. I do however think that you two should talk to either."

"But Bubbie I don't want to-"

"Hush child. I didn't say you had to right now, but you should. Soon. And I know you are." She lifted Mercedes' chin with her finger and Mercedes nodded. "Now come lay with me child. You can sleep in here."

"Oh, no Bubbie I'm okay. I was just-"

"You were just gonna sleep in here before you realized someone was in the bed. The other guest room is occupied and you're not sleeping on the couch so come on; unless you're going to go back into your bedroom?"

Mercedes sighed and Bubbie flipped back the cover, allowing her to get under. "Glad you finally saw things my way." They sat side by side in silence for a moment before Bubbie turned on the TV and Mercedes' head fell back against the headboard. Ruth pulled Mercedes down and let her head fall into her lap. She undid the ponytail Mercedes had in and lightly ran her hands through her scalp, something she had done to her own daughter Rebecca, Noah and as of lately Nicole, Beth, Melanie and Nolani. It had been both their and her favorite bonding activity. It wasn't long before Mercedes was out cold in Bubbie's lap. She picked her phone up from the night stand, call not to wake Mercy and sent Noah a text telling him to put his wife in bed, a plan she had all along.

Puck hadn't been as asleep as his wife thought he was when she came home. He'd spent the remainder of the day waiting on her to come home with his kids. Beth had come back around 6 or 7 that night looking for Mercedes and her sisters to show them all the cool things she'd gotten while she was out with her mother. She even got her mother to buy them five of them customized t-shirts with the name Puckerman on the back which Quinn thought was very nice of her little Beth. He was said to inform her that her stepmother had not yet returned home and she blamed him for the fight. Beth went to bed with an attitude she got from her mother and barely without eating. He laid awake, face down while Mercedes was in the shower and stayed that way for what felt like forever once she got out and headed to the guest room. He peaked into the girls room to find all three of them fast asleep and Beth seemed happier than she did the first few times he went to check on her. When he made it to the guest room Mercedes was up talking to Bubbie and he knew he would be in for it soon enough. He crept back into his bedroom and didn't come out until he got the okay from Bubbie. He slowly opened the door and scooped her up in his arms. Asleep, she wrapped her arms around his neck and laid here head on his chest.

"Thanks Bubbie."

"Don't thank me. Be lucky she loves you the way she does. She almost went to sleep on the couch and after what you said you're lucky you aren't bruised. Don't you play with her feelings bubbala. I taught you better than that. You need to fix this Noah."

Noah nodded and carried her back into their bedroom. He laid her down on her side of the bed and climbed in beside her. He kissed her forehead and held her in his arms while she slept. Lying on his back with his sleeping wife tucked into his side, he thought about all the things they'd been through since they got together. All the good, the bad and the ugly. He thought about the fight they had earlier today and the talk he had with his Bubbie and came to a few realizations.

Mercedes woke up the next morning in a familiar setting, completely confused. She rolled over to cool sheets, something she expected. She knew Bubbie was often the first one up and would often go downstairs to brew some coffee and get breakfast started. What she didn't expect was to open her eyes and be in her bedroom. She sat up and her hair fell around her face. She remembered Bubbie took her air down before she fell asleep. But that was all she remembered. She was never the type to sleep walk so she couldn't figure out how she got in her bed until Puck walked in carrying a tray of food. She twisted up her face as he walked towards her and he set the tray down on the bed.

"I made breakfast." He spoke nervously rubbing the back of his neck and she stared at the food. "It's not poison. You can eat it you know."

Mercedes stabbed the food into the food and examined it, taking a very obvious sniff before putting it into her mouth.

"Uh Bubbie knew you wouldn't come sleep in here with me willingly so she called me to put you in the bed once you fell asleep." Mercedes nodded in understanding and took a few more bites. "And Bubbie took the girls out with her to do some grocery shopping. They wanted to go and I… I wanted to talk to you." It wasn't until then that Mercedes noticed how quiet the house.

"Puck, I don't-"

"Please! Just listen."

"Fine, you wanna talk? Talk." She rubbed her forehead and rested her head in her hand.

"Okay, um…" his voice fell silent and he moved the tray and set it on the nightstand. Sitting at the edge of her feet he took a few moments to look at her. She looked beautiful as she always did, but she also looked sad. It was hurting him that he was the reason for the pain she was now feeling. He reached out his hand to cup her face and she moved a bit out of his reach. He sighed and moved closer, closing the little bit of space between them and carefully tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. He cupped her again and she rested her face in his hand.

"Baby I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything I said. I was just upset and I wanted you to feel as bad as I was feeling. It felt like you were trying to make me less of a father and of a man. I just want you all to be happy and live wonderful lives and I have to work hard to make sure I can provide that for you."

"Noah that's not what I meant by it. The children are happy but it's not the material things that matter. I just wanted you around more. I wanted you to spend more time with me and the girls."

"And what about you? Are you happy?"

"I don't know. At this very moment no, no I'm not happy." Puck's hand fell from her face and he nodded slowly.

 _We could walk away from this mess we made_

 _We could live and learn, set fire to this bridge and watch it burn_

 _We can act like it was not even really love in the first place, no_

 _We could throw out the pictures_

 _And throw our dreams away_

 _We could forget the words we were too afraid to say_

 _And we could live with the mistake, tearing us apart everyday_

 _We could let all the good just fade away_

"So what do you wanna do? Because I don't want to lose you okay. I can't lose you. I love you way too damn much jeopardize what we have."

"I'm sorry but maybe we should-"

"Maybe we should nothing. Look we have a family okay. We have children together and I can not and will not put them through that. I don't just want this for them though. I want this for us. And I'm willing to work on me and us only if you are. And if you aren't then I guess I'm fighting until I can't fight anymore." He searched her eyes for something, anything that said she was going to do this with him; that she was willing to fix any problems they had for themselves in the girls.

 _But I wanna stay and fight for you_

 _Fight until my heart is black and blue_

 _Fight til there's nothing left not one single strand of the love we had_

 _I wanna stay and fight for us_

 _Fight like hell before I give up_

 _'Til I'm the only one, the only one in love_

 _I'd fight for you_

"Noah I just don't know. You can't force this on me. I've tried to make you see, but maybe we should try just living in different spaces or not sleeping in the same room for a while. That way we don't have to worry the girls." Mercedes suggested and he shot her a look of disgust.

"Yeah no, that's not going to happen. If you don't want to do this, if you don't want to be with me I'm not gonna walk around here like we're some happy fucking couple. It's not happening. I can't and I won't."

"I can't believe you."

"You can't believe me? No I can't fucking believe you. You're overreacting."

 _We could turn off our feelings_

 _And go about the days, put on a happy face_

 _Tell everyone that we're OK_

 _And we could just say you and me were probably never meant to be_

 _Or we could be nothing more than a memory_

 _Cause we done went through the fire baby_

 _We still survived baby_

 _If you know where I stand, then, I'll be waiting_

 _Cause it'll never be my choice baby_

 _To give up on us really_

 _When it's so rare to find in the first place_

 _When you're the realest thing I've ever met_

"I'm overreacting? You just want to be able to say whatever the hell you want to me and expect me to get over it. But that's not ho it works. You can't just hurt someone, say sorry and expect everything to be alright. You just can't."

"Mercedes, you act like we haven't been through worse things. We've always been able to overcome them together. Why can't we do that now? What's so different now?"

"We're not teenagers anymore Noah! I've gotta do what's best for me and the girls right now. And right now, this isn't it."

"So you want me to leave?" He asked her considering his options. He wouldn't push her too far. He could end up losing her for good.

"It would be easier."

"So that the girls think I don't give a shit and just left?"

He was playing to her emotions and they both knew it. Neither one of them would ever want the girls to feel like the other didn't care about them.

"Fine, I'll leave." She huffed throwing her hands in the air.

"So it seems like I didn't try, that I didn't fight for you?" He shot back.

"Noah, I don't know what you want me to do. Either way the situation is fucked up."

"I want us to be adults and work this shit out together, like a married couple is supposed to do. That's what we are. You and I will get through this hiccup in our marriage like we would anything else. You know why? Because I love you and you love me. And we love our family more than anything in the world. So get it together. If we have to fake it for a bit, so be it. You better put your game face on though. Bubbie should be back with the girls any minute now."

 _ **TAMAR BRAXTON - STAY AND FIGHT**_


End file.
